Was there any girl that didn't have a Doors (or Morrison) poster back then? It almost seemed like that was something handed out at school as part of a required home decor assignment.
I also feel like a lot of people liked Morrison because everyone else did. On a trip to Paris, my wife and I thought about visiting his grave...and then immediately thought better of it. "Roadhouse Blues" is great, and I had "LA Woman" playing in my head while reading this. But after that? Meh.
P.S. Is Massachusetts vs. Connecticut really a "thing?"
Fair point on the poster, Kevin. It was ubiquitous on my generation's dorm walls. But my girlfriend at the time actually listened to the music as well.
I've always tried to separate Morrison, who was often overbearing and self-important, from the Doors, who were innovative and interesting. Not everybody can do that. And I get it. I never made it all the way through the movie either.
As for MA vs. CT, it's not a state thing. It's a CJ thing (and Mitch and Ken love to play it up). My dad's entire side of the family lives in CT. My daughter goes to school in CT. And I have to drive all the way through CT to get to my in-laws in New Jersey. So I often find myself sitting in gridlock traffic in CT because A) Every road in the state is under construction all the time and B) Nobody in the state knows how to drive. It's a recipe for aggravation. If I ever become king of New England, I'm going to build a road that goes straight through CT from MA to NY with no exits or on-ramps. And nobody with a CT license plate will be allowed to drive on it. I think I'd get a lot of support for that.
A & B sound like I could've written them about WI. When an interchange is under construction long enough to get its own Twitter account, you know you're in trouble.
Route 95 between New Haven and the NY border has been under construction since at least 1975, which is my earliest memory of sitting in traffic. It is the most infuriating stretch of road in the U.S. Road construction in CT makes the Big Dig look like minor pothole repair
FACT CHECK: CJ has a well-documented history of taking shots at CT, but he is correct that any animosity is traffic-related, specifically when 84 merges into 90. Shoutout to Rein's Deli and Frank Pepe's pizza and the UCONN women's basketball team!
Great pitch from CJ and I completely agree with Ken's response. Having just recently re-read "No One Here Gets Out Alive" myself, for the first time since high school, it's spot on how your view of Jim's ridiculousness changes with age. In high school, we all thought he was an artist with near God-like status. As a grizzled and cranky adult, he just a petulant child who does what he wants and drives his friends and lovers crazy doing it. I'm still a fan of the band and this album, though I actually prefer the previously mentioned "Waiting for the Sun". Great read this week, gentlemen!
Thanks Chris! Glad you like our post. It's hard to separate the man from music, especially with a guy like Morrison. The way he's been mythologized and then torn down several times over makes it even harder. I just love how concise and focused this album is. No meandering organ solos or raindrop sound effects or blathering lyrics (or at least less blathering lyrics). You can spin the shuffle wheel on this album and almost always come up with something worth listening to. Great to hear from you, man. Hope you're doing well!
Couldn't agree with you more. Random fun fact, but they just released some kind Doors graphic novel as a companion story to this album. I can't say I've approached that rabbit hole yet, but it's just intriguing enough that I may. I'm doing well, no complaints here. Hope the same for you and the team!
I am reading these archives when I run out of current Substack content. There is a Doors tribute album but regrettably Spotify doesn’t have rights to the best song, John Lee Hooker overdub remix of Roadhouse Blues. A great get the part started cover. https://spotify.link/EAcCZ1zTdzb
Was there any girl that didn't have a Doors (or Morrison) poster back then? It almost seemed like that was something handed out at school as part of a required home decor assignment.
I also feel like a lot of people liked Morrison because everyone else did. On a trip to Paris, my wife and I thought about visiting his grave...and then immediately thought better of it. "Roadhouse Blues" is great, and I had "LA Woman" playing in my head while reading this. But after that? Meh.
P.S. Is Massachusetts vs. Connecticut really a "thing?"
P.P.S. That movie was interminable.
Fair point on the poster, Kevin. It was ubiquitous on my generation's dorm walls. But my girlfriend at the time actually listened to the music as well.
I've always tried to separate Morrison, who was often overbearing and self-important, from the Doors, who were innovative and interesting. Not everybody can do that. And I get it. I never made it all the way through the movie either.
As for MA vs. CT, it's not a state thing. It's a CJ thing (and Mitch and Ken love to play it up). My dad's entire side of the family lives in CT. My daughter goes to school in CT. And I have to drive all the way through CT to get to my in-laws in New Jersey. So I often find myself sitting in gridlock traffic in CT because A) Every road in the state is under construction all the time and B) Nobody in the state knows how to drive. It's a recipe for aggravation. If I ever become king of New England, I'm going to build a road that goes straight through CT from MA to NY with no exits or on-ramps. And nobody with a CT license plate will be allowed to drive on it. I think I'd get a lot of support for that.
Ha! I'd back it.
A & B sound like I could've written them about WI. When an interchange is under construction long enough to get its own Twitter account, you know you're in trouble.
Route 95 between New Haven and the NY border has been under construction since at least 1975, which is my earliest memory of sitting in traffic. It is the most infuriating stretch of road in the U.S. Road construction in CT makes the Big Dig look like minor pothole repair
FACT CHECK: CJ has a well-documented history of taking shots at CT, but he is correct that any animosity is traffic-related, specifically when 84 merges into 90. Shoutout to Rein's Deli and Frank Pepe's pizza and the UCONN women's basketball team!
Great pitch from CJ and I completely agree with Ken's response. Having just recently re-read "No One Here Gets Out Alive" myself, for the first time since high school, it's spot on how your view of Jim's ridiculousness changes with age. In high school, we all thought he was an artist with near God-like status. As a grizzled and cranky adult, he just a petulant child who does what he wants and drives his friends and lovers crazy doing it. I'm still a fan of the band and this album, though I actually prefer the previously mentioned "Waiting for the Sun". Great read this week, gentlemen!
Thanks Chris! Glad you like our post. It's hard to separate the man from music, especially with a guy like Morrison. The way he's been mythologized and then torn down several times over makes it even harder. I just love how concise and focused this album is. No meandering organ solos or raindrop sound effects or blathering lyrics (or at least less blathering lyrics). You can spin the shuffle wheel on this album and almost always come up with something worth listening to. Great to hear from you, man. Hope you're doing well!
Couldn't agree with you more. Random fun fact, but they just released some kind Doors graphic novel as a companion story to this album. I can't say I've approached that rabbit hole yet, but it's just intriguing enough that I may. I'm doing well, no complaints here. Hope the same for you and the team!
I am reading these archives when I run out of current Substack content. There is a Doors tribute album but regrettably Spotify doesn’t have rights to the best song, John Lee Hooker overdub remix of Roadhouse Blues. A great get the part started cover. https://spotify.link/EAcCZ1zTdzb
Exile on Newbury St. is cranking back up again today, Ken. Watch this space. New material coming shortly!
* party